Unpaid Debts
by Summersfan
Summary: AU after Chosen. Spike gets a chance to pay off an old debt. Finished! R and R
1. Prologue

Prologue: The Reaper  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just visiting  
  
Summary: AU after Chosen. Spike gets a chance at something he thought he could never have.  
  
"Check."  
  
"True love, mate. That's what it was. Mate in three."  
  
"True love is for fairy tales. Don't be presumptuous, it could only be mate in three if I didn't take your knight like this."  
  
"Oy! True love, that's what it was. That's what I died for. Not that she felt true love, you understand. But I did."  
  
"And the others? What were they, chop suey?"  
  
"Others? Cecily was a childish crush. Don't even bring it up."  
  
"And Drusilla?"  
  
"That was love. But she ruined it all, didn't she?"  
  
"Hm. You know, part of my job is killing people."  
  
"Gathered that from the Scythe."  
  
"Did you just say Scythe?"  
  
"Don't you say it a lot?"  
  
"I say scythe. It's not a symbol or a great weapon, merely a tool of the trade. The last reaper had one as well. Anyway, that's part of my job. Check."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"And mate. You're not very good at this game."  
  
"What are you talking about?! I'm bloody brilliant at this game!"  
  
"Yes. And you have no sense whatsoever of strategy or timing. And you're impatient."  
  
"Look, mate."  
  
"Now, this business you say you have."  
  
"I can beat you. Maybe not in this game, but in something. I can beat you!"  
  
"Yes, probably. That's not the point."  
  
"It isn't? But I thought. . .?"  
  
"What? That if you beat me, I would owe you a favor? Or have to obey your request? I think not. Now, consider the price. The price is high."  
  
"Look, I think we really need to do this."  
  
"We?"  
  
"Well, I'm not bloody well doing it without William! He and I are mates, now, aren't we?"  
  
"Well, no. You're a demon, he's a soul. You're a different kind of demon, but still."  
  
"Look, we want to do this. We have to do this. It's just not right, the way we left it!"  
  
"Still, the price!"  
  
"Look, Reaper boy, the price is hard. I grant you, it's hard. But it's worth it for this."  
  
"If you fail, it will mean nothing less than eternal torment in a lake of fire."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I bet that'd hurt worse than a knuckle sandwich from Buffy."  
  
The third member of the party, who'd stayed silent through the chess game, spoke.  
  
"We know the price. We know the cost. But we did this. We need to fix it. You now as well as I what the price of not fixing it is. We can't leave it at that."  
  
"All right." Sighed the Grim Reaper. "We'll do this. I warn you, this isn't going to go as you think it should!"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"All right, send them back." Said the Reaper.  
  
"What, no final words?" Asked Spike.  
  
"Sure. Don't go splat. It hurts."  
  
There was a rushing, then a cosmic emptiness.  
  
"He had you, if hadn't cheated." Noted a disembodied voice. "Moving your pawn sideways!"  
  
"They just never expect Death to be a cheat." Shrugged the Reaper. "Not my fault, is it?" 


	2. Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own them  
  
Summary: AU after Chosen. Spike gets a chance at something he thought he could never have.  
  
Spike moaned, curling up into a ball, wrapping his leather jacket around himself against the outside air. "William?" He whispered, grabbing the sides of his head. "William?" He whispered again, urgently. "No, no way!" He shook his head. "You cheating git!" He yelled.  
  
"Keep it down." Rasped a low voice beside him.  
  
Spike whirled, swinging to his feet. As he did his feet slid on the grass, flying out from under him. With unnatural vampire strength he threw himself to the side, twisting like a cat in midair and landing on his feet.  
  
"William?" He asked, surprised.  
  
William pulled his leather jacket, identical to Spike's, closer around his shoulders. "Well, good work, we're back." He said cheerily with a fake smile.  
  
Spike sniffed deeply. "You're human." He noted.  
  
"Yes indeed." Said William. "Which means we split apart."  
  
"I don't have a soul again? Bollocks!" Snapped Spike. "I paid good money for that soul! How come they think they can just take it away?"  
  
"I'm not gone. I'm right here." Said William.  
  
"Your hair sucks." Said Spike.  
  
"Oh? You know, that peroxide went out in the eighties." Said William.  
  
"How would you know? You died in the eighteen eighties!" Snarled Spike.  
  
"I did a quick makeup when you brought me back to life last year. Now, where are we?" Asked William.  
  
Spike spun around in circles. "Uh, a city." He said, taking in the grimy street. "New York, by the smell."  
  
William touched his nose. "I don't have enhanced senses." He said woefully.  
  
"Don't start." Snarled Spike. "Think she's near?"  
  
"Why else send us here?" Asked William sarcastically. "Oh, sorry, you wouldn't know about that, would you? After all, you couldn't even get us back in one piece!"  
  
"What, don't like having to do your work movin` about?" Growled Spike, his eyes flashing golden. "Tough. Come on, let's get on the trail."  
  
"What trail? There is no trail!" Snarled William back.  
  
"Stop!" Yelled Spike loudly. "Stop borrowing my mannerisms!"  
  
"What, I'm s-supposed to be m-mousy stuttering William?" Protested William sarcastically. "No thanks! I've spent years in limbo, only to discover you took my body and made it a punk rocker!"  
  
"Punk rocker?" Protested Spike. "I invented the look!"  
  
"Get over the nostalgia trip, Spike. The seventies and eighties are over." Said William.  
  
"There is a trail." Said Spike, turning away. "We just have to find it."  
  
"What, is your favorite delusion gone? Sorry you don't look cool any more?"  
  
"Best bloody years of my life."  
  
"No, those were the Buffy years." Corrected William. "Now, come on, let's find that trail." He danced up and down on his toes. "Let's go find a fight."  
  
"Hey!" Said Spike. "I told you, you're not me!"  
  
"Listen to my voice." Taunted William. "I am too."  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Am too."  
  
"Are not!"  
  
"Am too." Said William. He was now smiling smugly.  
  
"Cut that out!" Spluttered Spike. "This is my body, my life, my mannerisms!"  
  
"My body, my life." Corrected William. "Your mannerisms." He conceded after a moment's thoughts.  
  
"Exactly!" Growled Spike. "I'm me. Don't try to take that away from me."  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it. But I'm part of you, and as such, am like you." Said William. "Don't you forget that. Although, color me stupid, aren't I human now? Isn't this shanshu city for me?"  
  
"Maybe." Said Spike. "Don't forget we have to pay the piper later."  
  
"I'm ready for that." Said William. "Let's just get the girl, shall we?"  
  
"Can't believe we're doing this." Muttered Spike.  
  
"Who would you like to do this?" Asked William, baring his teeth. "Hm. That's different."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Usually when I do that, it's all bumps and ridges."  
  
"What?!" Demanded Spike.  
  
"Hey, I just got used to being you! Now you want me to be me again?" William shook his head. "I've been waiting in limbo for you to die, you call me back to my old body, what do you expect?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Spike angrily. He took a deep breath, and slowly replied. "This is pointless. Let's get out there and get the job done before anything else goes wrong."  
  
"You call this going wrong?! I have my own freaking body!" Snarled William.  
  
"Yeah, and I don't have a soulless! I'm back to being a soulless thing! A thing!" Snarled Spike.  
  
"Oh, get over yourself. Come on, let's go do it."  
  
"Hang on." Said Spike. "No chip, no soul. You're a human. I'm a vampire. Why don't I just kill you?"  
  
"Because I'm your sodding conscience!" Said William. "Can we focus, here?" He glanced around. "Shall we make a plan?"  
  
"You know that doesn't turn out well. I get bored and attack before it's ready."  
  
"Right." Said William, throwing up his hands. "All right, oh wise one. What now?"  
  
Spike inhaled deeply. "I smell blood." He said.  
  
"Of course, you idiot. I'm chock full of it."  
  
"No, not yours!" Snapped Spike. "Open blood."  
  
"She's here." Said William.  
  
"Let's go." Said Spike, turning. William hesitated, reaching into an inner pocket on his coat. He pulled a stake out, turning it over in his hand.  
  
"Wonder who that's supposed to be for." He said darkly.  
  
"Come to daddy, little girl." Said Spike. "What's that? What'd you say?"  
  
"Doesn't matter." Said William. "Daddy? How incestuous. Aren't you the Childe?"  
  
"Yeah, but she always like Daddy better." Said Spike, flashing a grin. "Let's go pay off an unpaid debt, shall we?"  
  
William nodded, putting his hand, stake still curled in his fist, back in his pocket. "Let's see: I'm pretty sure she's not ready for us. Seeing as she must know we're dead and all."  
  
"All the better." Said Spike.  
  
They strode into the midnight mist, their strides quick and strong, mirror images of death.  
  
// Just some more teasing, a bit of sketching out characters.next time I promise more. 


	3. Defeat

Defeat  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them  
  
Summary: AU after Chosen. Spike gets a chance at something he thought he could never have.  
  
Drusilla stood alone, blood dripping down her hands. "Darkness." She said. "It's all darkness these days."  
  
Her victim gaped at her as she circled him. "It wasn't always." She told him. "The hills used to be filled with a black light."  
  
He began to quiver, weeping like a baby. She ignored him.  
  
"Now it's all darkness. Not holy light sweeping down the hills. Just darkness. A lack of light, both holy and evil. And daddy's gone for good. He told me so." She grabbed her victim by the neck, the blood of previous victims smearing across his neck. "And where's our dark prince? He's gone and become one of them."  
  
"I-I'm sorry." Offered the man she held.  
  
"You are nothing. A happy meal on legs." Said a dark, low voice from behind him. "She doesn't want your sorrow. Does she, now?"  
  
"No, she doesn't." Said Drusilla unhappily. "She wants all the old ways back."  
  
"The old ways back? You ended the old ways. You said goodbye to us, Dru, remember?" Asked another voice in a slow drawl from behind Drusilla. The man flinched, staring at the ghostly pale hair that floated above a dark leather coat.  
  
Drusilla spun, throwing the man to the ground. "You were gone before I ever said goodbye! All wreathed up in Slayer!" Her usual slow whispered voice gave way to an angry shout.  
  
William approached the man. "Just run." He advised him. "Things are about to get ugly."  
  
"Oh, they aren't already?" Asked the man, scrambling to his feet to run.  
  
Drusilla reached behind, grabbed him the throat, and tore it out with a growl. Spike's eyes flashed a feral yellow as hunger rose in his throat. William winced.  
  
"My dark prince is here again, only now he's brought his new toy." Said Drusilla. "Introduce us, Spike."  
  
"Drusilla, soul. Soul, Dru." Said Spike shortly.  
  
"You've come back at last, at the bidding of your bright light." Said Drusilla. "You've come back to put an end to me? Make me a twisted monster like you?"  
  
"Something like that." Spike agreed.  
  
"The darkness reigns." Said Drusilla. "You always thought the light did, running to mommy, but the darkness reigns."  
  
"Enough prattle!" Snapped William. He charged Drusilla from behind. "Too much talk-!"  
  
She half turned, slamming a hand into him. He flew backwards, tumbling across the ground. "Weak and frail of body, you're just a meal." She said contemptuously.  
  
Spike advanced. "Dru, this has to end. The line of Aurelius is ended."  
  
"An end in blood and glory?" Asked Drusilla. "No!" Her eyes glittered, and she stepped closer to Spike. "You want an end of glorious light. You want daddy's pretty soul. You don't even know what you are any more, but you want an end of light. Why? Wasn't the darkness good for you? Wasn't the darkness all the cloak you needed?" She touched his leather coat. "Didn't it shield you? Didn't it protect you? Make you strong?"  
  
"It did." Acknowledged Spike. "But it was a protection that made me less than a man. A monster. A thing. I was never beneath her till I was a monster."  
  
"I made you." Hissed Drusilla.  
  
"I made you." Responded Spike. "Remade you, rather. Angelus made you first. I remade you. Now, now its time for us both to be remade."  
  
"In daddy's image?" She asked.  
  
He smiled brittlely. "Yes, in daddy's image. Daddy's new image."  
  
"No!" Drusilla said. "Can't you hear the call of the night? Happy meals with legs? You loved the caress of the darkness, the subtle glow of death! You. . ."  
  
She trailed off, aware that William had approached from behind. He spoke. "We loved it, but we longed for the light. We aren't here for redemption or to atone. That's not our gig."  
  
"We're here because we owe you a debt." Said Spike. "One we intend to pay."  
  
"In full." Said William.  
  
"Pay your own debts!" Hissed Drusilla. "You owe me life, and unlife! Not this toy of yours!" She turned, facing William. "He bleeds, doesn't he? A toy of your unlife! A life to your unlife! What are you, pretty boy who isn't my knight? You are a joke, a laugh in our hearts!"  
  
He smiled. "I'm everything you wanted from your dark prince, everything he wouldn't give." He lifted a hand, palm towards her. "I'm everything you wanted and hated. Everything you couldn't have. Everything you never appreciated."  
  
"No." She said. "You're what he wanted, the flaw he had. The crack in my knight's armor that let the light shine through him." She punched William in the face, sending him flying through the air. "You're the reason I left him." She finished with a giggle.  
  
Spike grabbed her hands from behind. "Don't touch him." He growled.  
  
"What's he to you?" She asked. "One of your Laughing Meals on legs, that's all. Can't you hear it sing to you?"  
  
"What, Dru?" He asked. "Your stars?"  
  
"No, silly boy. His blood." Said Dru.  
  
Spike pushed her forward, spinning her around to face him. "All I hear is a long-ago promise being broken." He said.  
  
He punched at her. She took the blow, leaning back, and kicked him in the shin. He let out a yelp, and she leaned in, slamming a fist into his face.  
  
"Naughty, naughty boy!" She howled. "You hurt me so bad!"  
  
"Dru!" He protested as she attacked him.  
  
"Pay this debt!" She said, slamming another fist into his chest. This time the impact took him off his feet, and he stumbled to the ground, landing hard on his butt.  
  
William jumped into the air, slamming a foot into her back, sending her stumbling forward. With an acrobatic flip he managed to land on his feet. "You couldn't take one of us. What makes you think you can take both of us?" He asked.  
  
Drusilla grabbed Spike by the neck, shifting into gameface. "Don't let your toy speak to me that way!" She grumbled, punching him with her free hand. "Ever, ever again!" She rose to her feet, pushing Spike back down with her foot. She stomped hard on his chest, driving him into the ground, then charged William.  
  
William went flying again, tumbling through the air to hit the ground with a sharp crack, lying limp in the wet grass.  
  
Drusilla licked her lips. "There's no turning back. This is the endgame, for my knights and me. The universe is slipping all around me." Her whispered voice dropped down even lower. "Now we'll all see the color of blood once and for all."  
  
She turned and stalked out of the clearing.  
  
Spike tried to rise, coughing. "Broke every last one of my ribs!" He snapped, falling back to the ground. "William!"  
  
"Here." Said a faint voice. "Still alive. Bit beaten, but all in one piece."  
  
"What was that?" Demanded Spike. "I don't remember her being so strong."  
  
"I do." Wheezed William.  
  
"But I can take a Slayer!" Snarked Spike.  
  
"Well, maybe you should have considered that. Did you fight her like a Slayer?"  
  
Spike considered. "Well, come to think of it, no."  
  
"Of course." Said William. "Your heart wasn't in the fight. You didn't need the win."  
  
"Since when are you so good at seeing things like that!" Snarled Spike, raising himself onto his elbows.  
  
"Goes with the job description. Laser-eyes on other people, but can't hold a mirror to myself to save my life."  
  
"That's me. Not you. You've never been insightful!" Snarled Spike.  
  
"Do we have to go over this again? I am you!" Said William.  
  
"No. I had to get a spell done to get you back. Incredible power. You were dead! Gone! Not a part of me any more!" He lay back down on the wet grass, sighing. "And they gave you a copy of my coat."  
  
"Yeah. Actually, I think it's in better shape than yours."  
  
"Well, so's the one they threw on me."  
  
The two lay on the ground in silence for a minute. "I'm bored." Complained Spike. "Can we try again, yet?"  
  
"Helicopter." Replied William.  
  
"What?"  
  
"There's a helicopter landing."  
  
A bright white light lanced across Spike. William watched as Spike sucked in his breath, squinting. "What are they doing?" He asked, not bothering to exhale.  
  
William sat up. "Looks like they've been looking for us." He glanced across the clearing at the platinum head, so far away from him now.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"You've got the sniffer. Give it a shot." Advised William.  
  
Spike sniffed. "No good. Diesel fumes." He said, rubbing his nose. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
  
"Wait. Who would come to see what came back from the dead?"  
  
"Eh?" Spoke propped himself back up.  
  
"Seriously, who would come? Not a black hat. Only a white hat."  
  
"Eh. You mean. . .?"  
  
"Could be, couldn't it?" Asked William. He stood up. "You okay to stand?"  
  
Spike tried, slipped, and fell back down. He gave a loud growl, slipping into his demon face. "No!" He snarled.  
  
Buffy jogged into sight, her hair falling over her shoulders. She stared at Spike. "Spike!" She said uncertainly.  
  
"Oh, great!" He muttered.  
  
Angel appeared behind her. "Careful!" He said, moving closer. He leaned over Spike, sniffing. He backed up quickly. "He's no longer got a soul." He confirmed.  
  
"Just as I thought!" Said Willow, approaching behind Buffy. "I mean, the spell wasn't conclusive. . ."  
  
"I can explain." Said Spike.  
  
"Look at this." Angel pointed at the corpse near Spike. "He must have - Spike?!"  
  
William approached out of the shadows. "He didn't do that." He noted.  
  
Buffy did a double take. "He's not a vampire; I didn't sense him before."  
  
Angel sniffed. "He's human. What is this, your long-lost descendant?"  
  
"I'm William." Said the soul, smirking at them. "Now, just back away from Spike. It wouldn't do for you to dust him. Not now, anyway. Maybe later."  
  
// Ooh, what a cliff-hanger! And, yes, I am going somewhere with this. It'll all be apparent in my exciting conclusion! Tune in next week. Same bat-time! Same bat-station! 


	4. Triumph!

Triumph  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them  
  
Summary: Spike (and William) came back to life to pay some unpaid debts. Pretty much ignores the (wonderful!) things happening on Angel  
  
William stared at Angel.  
  
Angel stared at William.  
  
Buffy alternated staring at Spike and staring at William.  
  
Willow stared at Spike.  
  
Spike closed his eyes. "What a bloody poor time for a bloke to have his ribs stove in by his ex. Bloody poor!"  
  
William stepped closer, stepping between the trio and Spike. "Now would be a good time to get up." He whispered.  
  
Buffy stared at him. "You're William?" She said. "But. . . that's Spike."  
  
"You're repeating yourself." William told her.  
  
"No, no, I'm not." She replied. "Will?"  
  
"Yes?" Said William, just as Willow said the same thing. For a second the two Wills stared at each other. Then Buffy spoke again.  
  
"Willow. Is that.. . is that his soul? In its own body?"  
  
"Hey! I am not an it, and I can prove it!" Said William. Spike rolled his eyes.  
  
"Just get me some blood. We only have an hour or so before sunrise."  
  
"Blood all over, just right there." Said William.  
  
"Hey!" Said Spike. "What happened to we don't drink human blood?"  
  
"He's dead, he won't mind." Said William blithely.  
  
"That's Spike's soul all right." Said Buffy. Angel glowered.  
  
"What is this? Some kind of shanshu?" He asked.  
  
"No." Said William. "We're going to leave again at sunrise. We have work to do, Spike. Just drink his blood."  
  
Spike grabbed the corpse. "Bet they don't like this." He said, sinking his fangs into the corspe's open neck.  
  
"Hey!" Said Buffy. She started forward, but William stopped her.  
  
"Don't." He said. "You have no idea what the stakes are, here. Failure is not an option."  
  
Angel shook his head. "This is ridiculous." He said. "There's no way you're his conscience."  
  
"But think of how much it explains." Said Buffy.  
  
"What're you lot doing here, anyway?" Asked William.  
  
"We felt you." Said Willow. "Well, I did. When you tore apart the fabrics of reality."  
  
"We'll fix it." Said William. "We're here to fix it all." He glanced at Angel. "Buffy, you might want to restrain him. He's got that killer look in his eye again."  
  
Angel turned his head, and Spike stood up.  
  
"Oh, I forgot how invigorating blood could be!" He said, morphing back into human face. "Everybody ready to go hunt Dru down like a sick dog?"  
  
"Drusilla's here?" Asked Angel, snapping to attention.  
  
"What, couldn't smell her?" Asked William. "Too distracted by your least- favorite scent? Yeah, she's here. Let's do this right, eh? You lot get back in your chopper. We'll go play rescue."  
  
"No way!" Said Buffy. "We do this right. I want a piece of her."  
  
"Fat. Chance." Growled Spike. He stepped closer. "I owe her a debt. One I intend to pay in full."  
  
"I think I'm the one who owes her a debt." Said Angel. "There's no way-!"  
  
Spike shot forward and punched Angel in the chin, sending him flying to the ground. "Easy way, hard way, we're doing this alone!" He growled. "I have less than an hour left!"  
  
"No mercy." Whispered William. "Do you want the fight?"  
  
"I want it!" Whispered Spike, staring at Buffy while Willow went to help Angel to his feet.  
  
"Do you need the fight?" Asked William.  
  
"More than ever."  
  
"Yeah!" Whispered William. "Now get out of our face!" He yelled at Buffy.  
  
"Whoa. You're Spike's good side?" She questioned.  
  
"Never said that." He smirked. "Just his soulful side. I'll keep them here. You go."  
  
Spike turned and started running. Buffy moved to chase after, but William grabbed her wrist, leaning closer to her. "Now, don't do that." He whispered. She froze, and he grinned.  
  
"Oh, lord." Muttered Angel, moving to run after Spike. William blocked his way, flashing a stake in the taller vampire's face.  
  
"I wouldn't." Said William. Then he turned and began running flat out.  
  
"What's going on?" Asked Willow.  
  
"I'm afraid to ask." Said Buffy, starting forward. "Angel, follow my lead. He's doing some macho bull just like you would."  
  
"I would do it a little differently." Protested Angel, running beside her. Will started floating forward beside them, flying. "No fair!" Said Angel.  
  
"Oh, and you two super-men leaving me in the dust is? Er, super-people." Said Willow.  
  
They crested a hill, and stared into the valley below, under the bridge, where Spike was fighting Drusilla, attacking her viciously.  
  
"Remember that? Eh?" Asked Spike viciously, grabbing Drusilla by the neck. She clawed at his face, but he didn't let up. "Now do you remember why I'm the big bad?"  
  
"Spike!" Roared William. "Hold her!" He charged forward.  
  
Spike shifted, turning Drusilla to face the charging William. He pulled her close, into a deathly embrace. "Remember this part?" He crooned.  
  
"No!" Screamed Drusilla.  
  
William threw the stake from about five feet. It slashed right through Drusilla, lodging in Spike's chest. Spike shifted to game face, letting out one last roar, while Drusilla stared at William in surprise.  
  
"See you on the flip side." Said William.  
  
The two vampires exploded into dust, which hung in the air a second before slowly descending to the ground, a thin layer settling over the top of everything.  
  
William flipping a packet of cigarette's out of his pocket, lighting it and tossing the full package to the ground as the others joined him.  
  
"You dusted Spike!" Said Buffy.  
  
"Yeh." Said William, taking a long drag off the cigarette. He glanced at the lightening sky. "Better take cover, Angel."  
  
Angel cursed and ran for the helicopter. William glanced at Buffy. "You know, we loved you. A lot."  
  
Buffy stepped back, uncomfortable. "Um, cookies, and uh,"  
  
"Don't worry." Said William. "Not the way this is going. Just wanted to say, if we look down and you're not happy and everything, we'll be mighty mad. So, you know, get over us already. Move on. Just, uh. . ." He coughed, tossing the cigarette into Spike and Drusilla's ashes. "Please not with the poofter." He begged.  
  
Buffy laughed. "Uh, right. Why'd you dust Spike?"  
  
William grinned. "He's back." He said softly.  
  
"Spike?" Buffy turned, and stared into the face of death.  
  
He was balding and overweight, and carried his scythe with the blade dragging behind him. "I never thought you could do it." He told William.  
  
"Yeh. I know." Said the soul. "But we knew we could."  
  
"How'd you know to dust the vampire?"  
  
William grinned. "It's the blood, mate. Always the blood."  
  
"What?" Said the Reaper.  
  
William stepped closer. "You didn't have me fooled for a minute, mate. Some Reaper you are. Not even grim! You thought you'd have us, trick us. Well, time's up! You're deader than dead! How's it feel?"  
  
"Pretty bad." Grimaced the Reaper. "I'll ask again, how'd you know to kill Spike?"  
  
"She needed him." Sniffed William. "Needed him real bad. In life, in death. She just never knew it. Besides, you cheated."  
  
"What?" Said the Reaper, surprised.  
  
"You cheated. He had you at chess." Said William, leaning forward. "Now, howsabout my eternal reward?"  
  
"Well, uh. . ." The Reaper grinned, leaning forward. "Loophole. They both died, so they're in my jurisdiction. They're onward and upward. You aren't dead. No longer my jurisdiction."  
  
"Oh, another loophole." William said. He stepped forward, his boots crunching the dust that had been Spike. "Guess again." He arm whipped out and he grabbed the Reaper by the throat. "We had a deal, and I don't care about your silly arguments and loopholes! Let me through now, or I'll eat you!"  
  
"You-you're human!" Stuttered the Reaper.  
  
"True. But I can still chew." Said William. "Just won't keep me alive."  
  
"You're nuts!" Said the Reaper.  
  
"Give. Me. The. Reward!" Snarled William.  
  
The Reaper whirled, slashing him with the scythe.  
  
William smiled, vanishing in a blast of light. "Whew!" Said the Reaper, rubbing his forehead nervously. "Oh, hi." He said to Buffy.  
  
"Hi." She said warily.  
  
"I keep seeing you." He noted. "That's just not right." He turned to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Said Willow. "What happened? They just came down here to kill Drusilla?"  
  
"No." Said the Reaper. "They gambled."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A soul and a demon against a soul and a demon. I nearly had all four, there! But he saw me cheating at chess earlier. . . he's good." Said the Reaper. "Knew my weak spots."  
  
"Two to one-what?" Said Willow, confused. The Reaper sighed.  
  
"They wanted her soul back. Redeemed. And her, the demon, too. So they gambled their own lives again hers. If they lost, well, they were goners. But they won redemption for her, with their own."  
  
"What?" Said Willow. "That's nuts!"  
  
"Not so nuts." Said Buffy. "Not for Spike. He always was one to promise a girl the world." She glanced from the Reaper to her best friend. "And he always kept his promises." 


End file.
